


How It Should Have Been

by MinniWithTheUwUs



Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Anxiety, Anxiety Disorder, Boys In Love, Childhood Trauma, Declarations Of Love, Depression, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Established Relationship, Hate Speech, Hokage Uzumaki Naruto, Ichiraku Ramen (Naruto), Konohagakure | Hidden Leaf Village, M/M, Mental Health Issues, Past, Past Violence, Post-Fourth Shinobi War, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Post-War, References to Depression, Shinobi, Teen Romance, Trauma, Trust Issues, Uchiha Sasuke Returns to Konoha
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-30
Updated: 2020-03-17
Packaged: 2021-02-27 07:54:13
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,371
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22483678
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MinniWithTheUwUs/pseuds/MinniWithTheUwUs
Summary: Naruto married Hinata in canon... But cannons are made to destroy our ships. So, obviously, that never happened.A collection of drabbles of Naruto and Sasuke that all happen in the same universe (but are all out of order because my creativity does not do logic) and which (hopefully) will be entertaining.
Relationships: Uchiha Sasuke & Uzumaki Naruto, Uchiha Sasuke/Uzumaki Naruto
Comments: 8
Kudos: 28





	1. Still

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello!!! It me: Minni and this is my first work here! So... I hope you like it. And thanks for being here in the first place! 💙💙💙

"Naru-", Sasuke stops himself as soon as he enters the office.  
There he is: Naruto, the Hokage of the Leaf Village, the great protector of the ninja community, the saviour of the world, a true hero! And also, for the most intimate with him, the biggest and most stupid dumbass in the whole world. And what is he doing? Standing up and staring blankly at a bookshelf, which means, he's talking to Kurama.  
Sasuke would never willingly voice it out but that blank vague stare at the void he does when he mind chats with his bijuu creeps him a little bit. He just looks so… Dead and lifeless, like all his energy and happiness to live were drained out of him. And that freaks Sasuke out.  
The truth was, Sasuke had had a rough time with losing important people to him. His mother, his father, all his relatives and playground friends were all killed by his brother when he was very little. So, to him, it was very hard to open up to someone and let them in his life, let himself love them, let himself be loved. But, as much as he had fought against it, Naruto was just… Inevitable.  
They say that every soul has, at least, one match to it. They say they are created at the same time by the universe and that they are meant to be. And that the only quest that is common to every being is finding their matching souls. And frankly, Sasuke had found his. And that was the strongest pull, the only loud truth that Sasuke could never deny. Because you don't deny the universe.  
So, of course, seeing Naruto in a state of paralysis and seemingly dead was Sasuke's most terrifying nightmare. He couldn't afford to lose him. Just thinking of it had Sasuke trembling from the top of his head to the tip of his toes. So seeing him like that, looking like a lifeless body, it was utterly scary and probably the worse thing Sasuke could experience after the actual death of his soulmate.  
But Sasuke didn't like to interrupt others, especially when it might actually be serious business, so he just stood there, waiting, staring at an abnormally still Naruto stand facing the wall expressionless, as his anxiety pilled up and all his trauma were pushed to the surface while standing still, with an emotionless expression. Because if anyone was to walk in, if anyone was to ask: Sasuke was fine, he was completely fine. Just waiting. Waiting until he moved.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So... I know this is pretty short but a girl does what she can. Anyway... I hope you enjoyed it and, if you'd like to leave a suggestion or say something I could improve, that would be appreciated. Thanks again. And bye bye! 💙💙💙


	2. A War In Times of Peace

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello!!! I know I've been gone BUT schools and unis are closed in my country rn and my country is basically full-on quarantine mode so I've got time. AND SO this chapter is here. It's kinda sad, maybe even depressing and at a point it's kinda cute, Ig. Just read if you wanna find out. See you at the end notes 💙.

"Pleaaaaasee!", Naruto frowns in front of Sasuke, still holding his hand, as he pleads in a ridiculous way that his boyfriend secretly finds cute.  
"No", Sasuke replies as he tries to return to walk, ultimately to no avail since the blonde boy is still impeding that.  
"BUT SASUKEEE!", he begs again with puppy eyes. 'What a brat', Sasuke thinks.  
"I said no"  
"WHY?!? Why do you do this to me?!?", he asks, seemingly desperate and heartbroken, letting go of Sasuke's hand. "My own BOYFRIEND hates me!"  
"I don't hate you", the Uchiha assures, fully aware that Naruto knows and is just being dramatic.  
In a way, he says it more to himself than Naruto or anyone else. It's not like those situations where you tell yourself something so you "fake it 'till you make it", however. He truly doesn't hate him. As a matter of fact, he loves him. Perhaps more than anyone else, even his parents or his sensei, Kakashi. Certainly, more than he loves himself... Much, much more... He says it more like a way to remind himself that he's not who he used to be. That he's not the guy who hated everyone, he's not the guy who tried to bring chaos into the world, he's not the one who wanted the blood of innocents, not the person who tried to kill his best friends and, certainly, not the person who tried to kill the blonde boy who's begging ridiculously for them to go eat at Ichiraku so that he can fill himself with all the kinds of ramen. He's not. "But I know you. You're going to eat too much which will make you bloated all day"  
"Awww! Sasukeeeee!", he says as he hugs the black-haired boy. "You're worried about my health?"  
Sasuke stays quiet for a second. "I'm dating you"  
"You're right, you're right... You're my beautiful boyfriend, that's true", Naruto nods, smiling. "SOOOO… Can we go?"  
"If you complain afterwards, I'm punching you"  
"And Kakashi-sensei insists romance is dead…"

(...)

"Go slow", Sasuke advises as he watches Naruto order a bunch of different plates to the guy who walks right back inside.  
"Curious… You usually ask the opposite…", the blonde shinobi comments with a smirk on his face. Sasuke rolls his eyes. "What? Are you in denial?"  
"Maybe you can choke on the ramen", Sasuke affirms.  
"Maybe I can choke on you...", Naruto suggests with a wink.  
"Or maybe I can choke you", the Uchiha replies with his usual straight face. Perhaps the only straight thing about him.  
"Hm… I like that…", the blonde affirms with flirty eyes.  
"That's not what I meant and you know it", Sasuke declares, a little bit flustered. He would never imply that… In a public space.  
"I also know what you did 2 nights ago…", the blonde shinobi reminds him. "You scream very loudly for someone who's always so quiet, eh Sasuke?"  
"No further comments", the Uchiha states.  
"What a no fun… I can't believe I'm dating someone as dry as you…", Naruto complains jokingly. "Ridiculous"  
"Agreed", the black-haired declares.  
"And yet, Uchiha Sasuke", Naruto pauses, " I wouldn't have it any other way"  
Sasuke stays quiet for a bit, a little speechless. Dating Naruto is still fresh. No. The act of dating itself is very new to him. He's not used to it. He doesn't know how to do it. He barely knows how to keep a friendship. This, however, as odd as that lack of knowledge about human connections might be for anyone else, is expected of him, considering the trauma of having his whole clan killed by his brother who made sure he saw the massacre because he wanted to transform him in a weapon of mass destruction, years of repressed emotions, dealing with only the worse kind of people for years and going to war against all your friends and your current boyfriend, which led to a severe problem with trusting others, heavy depression, a never-ending list of self-esteem issues and, obviously, PTSD. And yet, seeing that Naruto has about just as much emotional baggage within him and still knows how to handle things like this, makes him feel a bit lacking like he's not good enough, like he doesn't deserve him. It doesn't matter how many times Naruto tells him that "it's alright", that they can "learn together", that feeling keeps returning to him. So, naturally, when Naruto makes statements like that, filled with certainty and promises of forever, Sasuke doesn't really know how to act. He feels embarrassed both by Naruto's words and his lack of knowledge on how to react. His cheeks flush a little pink. After what seems an eternity in his head he manages to say, as collected as he can, "Likewise" with a little smile.  
To Naruto, that small little fond smile is precious. Very precious. Sasuke rarely smiles. The war is still very recent, only a year or so has passed and he still has got a war in his head. And Naruto understands. It's something they're fighting together. Because truth be told, the blonde shinobi might always sound like a bright sun, full of life and happiness and hope but, deep down, he's still just a teen who lost his parents to a fucking giant nine tail fox creature that they sealed inside him which led to him being hated by everyone, segregated and left to raise on his own his whole childhood only to be befriended after so many years and then have to go to war to fight his best friend and his boyfriend who was trying to destroy everything including him. So yes, he's got severe anxiety and constant nightmares. So he truly understands. It's hard to live when all you know is death. But they're trying. And it's in these little things that he can see their progress. Naruto advances and kisses his boyfriend softly. It's perfect. Sasuke's smile widens a little more and Naruto feels warm inside like the sun is growing in his belly. It's a strange, yet beautiful feeling. Sasuke can feel it too.  
Yet, of course, when you're out like this and anyone can recognize your face kilometres away (and your boyfriend is a war criminal, there's also that), it's hard not to have someone ruin your sweet little things. And today it wasn't going to be any different.  
"Did you hear that?", the blonde inquires, a little mad already.  
"Don't act on it", Sasuke advises. He fell way too many times for his own rage to know it doesn't take anyone anywhere. He also knows Naruto very well. This is about to end badly.  
"It can't be helped", the Uzumaki affirms, seriously. "There are some things I just can't ignore"  
"Naru-"  
"What did you say, ma'am?", he enquires, as he turns his head to face the middle-aged woman who just said: "I can't believe a hero would fall so low to date a monster like that".  
"I said you should be ashamed to have fallen as low as to start dating that same pig you fought in the war…", she replied with visible disgust in both her gaze and her speech. "It's like you forgot that… Creature tried to murder us all! He's a psychopath!"  
"You're wrong… You don't know anything about what happened… So you wash your fucking mouth before you talk about Sasuke", he threatens, calmly. It is the scariest type of threat and completely out of Naruto's usual fun and easygoing way.  
"Or else?", the lady asks, seemingly without fear. Sasuke worries for her… She does not recognize danger when it comes to her. "What are you gonna do, eh?! Beat me up?!? TAKE ONE OF MY ARMS OUT LIKE YOU DID TO HIM?!?", she points at Sasuke, putting his lack of left arm into evidence, as she jumps out of her seat and screams frenetically.  
Naruto moves forwards towards her, rage consuming his whole being. He knows she has her right to be mad, he knows it's fair that people dislike his boyfriend. He made his mistakes, VERY BIG ones, by the way. He understands her pain... All of those people's pains… They went to war with their kids to protect the village and, quite frankly the world, against this man, among other people. But he also knows Sasuke has changed, he also knows he was just a traumatized boy with too much in his head in a critical period of his life. And, as wrong as it may sound to everyone else, as wrong as it may be, in fact, Naruto favours him.  
But Sasuke doesn't, never has, in fact, favoured himself. And, for once, his coldness is of help. He holds Naruto's arm firmly with his hand.  
"Don't", he says quietly at Naruto's ear, it's almost like a whisper. "You know better than that"  
Naruto's body shakes a bit in his fury, a part of him still wanting to go forward and a part of him knowing it's not the right thing to do. He settles with not doing it. Sasuke is right, he does know better.  
"So it's all talk after all?", the woman inquires with a putrid tone. "You're a disappointment to us AND an all talk asshole?!? And I thought I was in for a good fight… I'm starting to doubt you really were a hero in that goddamn war!!!", she yells at him, as he sits back in his stool. Naruto inhales deeply. 'She's not worth it, he reminds himself'. "Now I'm starting to see why you too might just be a good pair for each other… Fucking disgusting rats…", she remarks with a disgusted face. Both of them stare at her blankly. Be strong and endure: one day that pain will be useful to you or whatever they say… "Anyway, I don't eat among parasites like you… I would dishonour my clan if I did so and, contrary to what seems to be true to the both of you, I still have decency", she states. "So I'll just walk the fuck away from you filthy little useless people who bring shame upon our village and the shinobi world… It's not like a place that serves traitors like you deserves any coins from my pocket, anyway", she remarks as he stands up and walks away.  
Naruto feels like he wants to cry. It's surreal. 5 minutes ago he was laughing to himself at how much of a prude his boyfriend can be sometimes and now he just wants to bury himself alive not to see the light of day ever again.  
"Do you wanna leave?", Sasuke asks gently, as he puts a hand on his shoulder. He doesn't know if that's the right move to make but he hopes it is.  
Naruto stays quiet for a while.  
"No", he ends up replying. "Unless you wanna go, I'd rather stay. I don't think I've ever needed to drown myself in ramen more in any other moment of my life"  
"Hm", Sasuke nods in agreement. He wants to go home. But he can endure a meal. For Naruto, he can. They'll go home after. And then they can hide from the world behind the stones that make up their house wrapped up in each other's arms pretending that none of that ever happened, pretending the world is peaceful to them and that they are at peace with the world. All lies. But, for all the time they spend out in the village, dealing with reality, they deserve some time to believe in fairytales and stories of magic, a world where everything is simple and they are not completely fucked up. A world that might never exist.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soooo? What ye think, eh? Idk if it's too heavy, maybe it's not the type of reading one needs mid a world epidemic but it's what I've got so... Take it or leave it, y'know? Anyway... This is it for now. Wash your hands, use hand soap, go out as little as you can and wear masks when you do and stay safe. All the luck, people, FIGHTING! 💙💙💙


End file.
